by Tiya Rayne
Phillisius twirls his sword around in his hands as we circle each other.
“When I was first told about your involvement in this, I thought that to be true. You were just being Avalia’s lap dog. I mean the notorious Assassin does not make attachments. He does not know loyalty or friends. He just fucks and fucks over whoever he wants.” I see he is still bitter. “But, no, this is personal. I just wonder how personal? Tell me; are you in love with her?”
Love? Was that the right word for how I feel about Lilly? I loved her when she was a little girl. I watched over her and protected her like a big brother or a father, and when she had grown to be a young lady my big brother love turned into something else. Something I am just now willing to declare. No longer ashamed of what I feel for the beautiful, independent woman I watched grow up. Now, that I’ve touched her, held her in my arms as I danced with her, heard her voice say my name with such tenderness, love seems to be insufficient to what this is. I am devoted to her, I am in awe of her kindness and vitality, my happiness depends on her waking every morning and my future is with her. Love was an understatement for what I felt for my little human.
“You are, aren’t you?” The pleasure Phillisius finds in that realization brings real fear to me. Fear I haven’t felt since the day Avalia told me my people had been attacked over night by the Dark king. His laugh is like the laugh of a mad man. “Then I truly will enjoy taking away her life.”
I charge at him and he immediately traces away.
“FUCK!!!” I yell to the empty space in front of me. For years I formed no affections for another because of the fear that I will one day not return home, it never dawned on me that I would find someone and then gain the fear of them being taken away from me. I trace back to our small group determined to keep Lilly in my sights at all-time even if I had to chain her to me.
“Assassin, what happened?” Bilal ask as he looks upon my blood stained clothes with horror. I continue pass him to the group gathered together in a tight circle.
“Centaurs.” I reply curtly. The immortal soldiers tense when I walk by, being sure to step out of my way.
“How many?” Himrol ask in awe. “Did you kill them all by yourself?”
I ignore the immortal as I take in the somber faces of everyone around me. Then I notice a face is missing.
“Where is Lilly?” No one answers which seems to make my irritation grow. “Where the fuck is she?” I shout.
“She and Miriam must have fallen back. She was moving slowly, we didn’t want to rush her.” Lydell answers nervously.
My sight is pure red at the moment. I am having a hard time regulating my breathing. Could Phillisius have gotten to her so fast? Was I being distracted by him while someone else took her from me?
“We can send out search parties…..” Bilal is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of an out of breath Augustus.
“Goblins….. in the woods,….. they took Lilly.” He pant. “And the Dark King’s army….. is coming up behind us. They came out of nowhere.” He shakes his head in disbelief.
That’s when it dawns on me why so few centaurs were ahead of us. It was a trap, a distraction for the real army coming up behind us.
“Prepare yourselves.” I shout to the small group with me and ready my sword facing towards the incoming army. I could hear the sound of stampeding feet coming towards us.
My little human was in the hands of the goblins and soon to be the hands of the goblin king. Gods help them if they hurt her, and gods help this army that will delay me from getting to her.
Chapter Ten
So I’ve stepped out of the Lord of the Rings and right into a Disney movie, Snow white to be precise. I’ve been abducted by dwarfs. Well not exactly dwarfs, Miriam calls them goblins. Other than their pointy ears and sharp teeth they look exactly like the seven dwarfs. The leader’s name is Hemrock, a black haired grumpy fella that keeps barking out orders at the other goblins and the giant that helped them kidnap us.
It seems Miriam and I weren’t the only catch for the day. Bound to four other goblins by large metal cuffs attached to chains are an old non-magical gentleman, a young non-magical girl that looks about 16 years of age, a stocking male elf that hasn’t said more than three words to anyone, and a beautiful goddess that looks like she could be a supermodel. Miriam calls her a Nix, she says don’t let the beautiful face fool you, in true form she looks like something mixed between a person and a snake. Unfortunately for me, I’m chained to the grumpy leader of the group.
I’m not sure how far I’ve walked from our original location. I woke up in the hands of the giant cradling me in his arms like a baby. I’m not sure if I’d slept for one minute or one day, I can say that after I woke we’ve walked for at least an hour. The sun has started to set and the sky was now a burnt orange color. I know how dangerous the forest back home can be at night, I’m afraid to think what might be waiting in this crazy world where goblins kidnap you and dark kings hunt you down.
My biggest fear, and this is bewildering to me, is not of my safety, but of Assassin’s and our small groups. I can’t help wondering if he has even noticed that I am missing. I know he wasn’t speaking to me at the time, but I feel that if he has realized I am missing he would do everything in his power to look for me. And with certainty I know he will find me. There is something about him, something in the flawless way he moves or the presence his body exudes that lets me know he can do anything. Even if it is tracking me through a forest at night. My Uncle Buddy has always taught me that I cannot depend on others to rescue me. He would say “Lilly-Bee this world ain’t like those fairy tales you like. You can’t always wait in a tower for a prince to save you. Sometimes, you got to be prepared to save yourself.” Well Uncle Buddy is right. I won’t be a victim and I’m not waiting for a prince, but if a sexy elf happens to come I won’t be disappointed.
“How much longer do we have?” I whisper over to Miriam after I stumble over the third uprooted tree.
The forest we are trekking through is viciously uneven and if I’m not being tripped by roots and rocks, I’m being smacked around by low tree limbs and thorny bushes.
“Not sure.” Miriam whispers back to me. The goblin she is chained to is walking only slightly ahead of us. “No one has ever seen the goblin’s home, well none that has returned to tell about it.”
Great! As if things couldn’t get any worse, now I find out that we are going to the Bermuda Triangle of the Locke.
“Are they working with the Dark King?” I question, stumbling over another root.
Hemrock looks over his shoulder at me and yanks my chain causing me to stumble forward and fall to my knees hard. He laughs at me, then turns around and continues walking. Miriam helps me to my feet right as my chain pulls and drags me forward.
“Don’t worry, Lilly. The goblins were never loyal to a side in the war. If they’ve taken us it’s probably to be their slaves.” I barely contain the bile that rises to my mouth.
What does she mean slave? There are different kinds of slaves; sex slaves, slaves for manual labor, and slaves for cooking and cleaning. The last two I could deal with, it’s the sex slave I’m worried about. Just the thought of allowing these beady-eyed creatures anywhere near me intimately had the nausea clawing its way up my throat.
“Slave?” My words are louder than a whisper. “What kind of slave?” I didn’t care if they could hear me or not, I was not becoming a sex slave to these creatures.
“Relax, woman.” Hemrock says over his shoulder. “You’re not our type.” I immediately felt relief. Yeah, I’m still in a bad situation, but at least I can scratch rape off my immediate future.
“For one, you’re too tall.” The bald goblin attached to the young non-magical girl says with a laugh.
“And, look at those square teeth. She has no points at all.” Another goblin adds.
“Ok, you made your point.” I say annoyed.
“She smells like flowers.” The bald goblin says again. He scr
unches up his nose as if smelling like flowers was a bad thing.
“Too skinny.” The goblin attached to Miriam points out.
Okay now they are starting to get personal.
“And don’t forget those scrawny legs.” Hemrock adds and all the goblins laugh.
Ouch! I mean not that I want to be either one of these creatures type, but being criticized hurt.
“For your information, I’m only 5 foot 4. Which is considered short by normal people, and my legs ain’t all that skinny.”
The goblins laugh again at my expense, which only makes me angrier. It’s like I’m reliving my youth all over again. Once again I’m surrounded by cruel children shouting hateful words at me and laughing at my frizzy hair. I swallow back the tears that threaten to spill as I’m pushed back down memory lane.
“Don’t let them get to you. You, and your legs are lovely.” Miriam says, giving me a cheerful smile.
I don’t really care what these mean creatures think about me. They look like Snow White’s seven dwarfs after a few years of incest, but their taunts hit closely to my childhood trauma. Being told you’re ugly all your life leaves scars that when slightly bumped can reopen and bleed.
As the goblins continue to laugh and point out more of my “unpleasant” traits, one pair of goblin’s eyes catch my attention. They belong to a shorter goblin. I noticed him the first time when I first woke in the giant’s arms.
I knew I was being carried before I opened my eyes. I could feel the tightness of someone’s arms wrapped securely around me. At first I had thought I was safely in Assassin’s arms and was about to bury my face into him when I noticed the smell and proportions were off. I kept my eyes close long enough to remember all that happened. It came back to me slowly, Miriam and I getting separated from the group and then being tranquilized. I cracked my eyes open to get a peek at what dangers I was facing. All I saw was black fabric, I was being held very close to a very large chest. I turn my head slightly and had I not been properly trained I would have screamed, but living with hunters I was taught never startle a wild animal. And, though this wasn’t a wild animal, it was hideously close to one. His head was the size of two regular heads and it looked as if someone had hit him numerous times with a club. Huge knots stuck out in random places making his abnormally large head look misshapen. His bottom lip was extremely larger than his top lip, so much so that it almost looked as if he didn’t have a top lip. His forehead protruded out over his eyes like a porch awning. As much as I fought not to startle him, I couldn’t help the sudden intake of breath. His massive head turned to me and the biggest muddiest brown eyes locked on to me and in those eyes I saw absolute…. kindness. There was no malice in his eyes. It was almost like looking in the eyes of a small child. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, his windows are a view of playgrounds, bubbles and puppies. “Hello!” I found myself saying. “I think I can walk now.” The giant tightened his grip on me, at first I thought he was going to crush me, but I realized too late, that he was just reluctant to let me go. He must have known that when I woke I would be chained to Hemrock. I panicked and tensed up. The shorter goblin noticed my alarm.
“No, Mogo.” The shorter goblin said. “She is not yours to keep.” I heard the love in the goblin’s voice as he spoke to the giant. He wasn’t reprimanding the giant, he was calmly explaining the situation. Reluctantly, Mogo sat me on my feet, and I didn’t miss the hurt in his eyes when he released me.
“Good boy!” the shorter goblin stated patting the giant’s calf.
“Thank you!” I said to the goblin.
“He wouldn’t have hurt you.” The goblin said curtly.
I’m sure most people take one look at this deformed giant and think the worse, but I could sense the gentleness in him. Mama always said I could sense a kindred spirit. She said when I was a baby and stayed in the hospital after a stint with RSV, she would come to the hospital after work and if a certain nurse was holding me I would scream at the top of my lungs. Later, she found that the nurse was saying mean things to me. From the moment I looked at that giant’s eyes I knew he was a kindred spirit, sad and broken but gentle. Like a large guard dog with the heart of a playful puppy.
“I know.” I say to the goblin as I pat the giant’s large hand.
Shortly after that I was chained to Hemrock and am currently being drug behind him while he taunts me. The shorter goblin looks at me from his spot beside the giant. His eyes fixed on me and I see no humor in his face. He doesn’t seem to find anything the other goblins are saying funny. He nods at me, then turns back towards the outer perimeter of our line. I get the feeling this goblin isn’t like the others and he may be my best bet to get out of this horrible situation.
The goblins keep a constant pace. It was obvious they were used to this dense forest and endless walking. However, the rest of us weren’t and surprisingly I wasn’t the slowest walker this time. The older non-magical man was having a really hard time keeping up and many times I or the young girl (Whom I assume is his granddaughter) has to keep picking him up. The quiet elf was obviously wounded during his capture. He has an oozing wound on his shoulder that definitely needs attention. And, it isn’t just the captures that are struggling with the grueling pace; the kind shorter goblin is limping pretty badly. I didn’t notice it at first, but it seems the further we go, the more noticeable his limp seems to get. I did notice one time that the giant tried to carry him, but the shorter goblin shook his head no. I only wish I was still in the arms of the giant, maybe then my feet wouldn’t be cracked and bleeding.
The sweltering heat of the sun is finally gone, but in its place is the chill of the night air. I’m not sure what’s worse, having a heat stroke or freezing to death. Maybe I’ll be lucky and hunger and dehydration will take me out first. I have not eaten or had a drop of water since this morning. Obviously feeding your slaves is not in the Goblin/ Slave handbook. My feet have gone from bleeding to scabs and my ankles are the size of apples. This is clearly the worse trip I’ve ever taken. Even worse than the time Uncle Buddy and I drove four hours to South Carolina with the busted window blowing January air in my face. By the time we got there I was a block of ice.
“Please! I have to stop.” The elderly man says right before collapsing to his knees.
“Grandpa!” The young girl shouts.
Hemrock stops abruptly and turns around. He looks disappointedly at the older guy then back to the goblin that’s chained to him.
“What’s the problem, Mork?”
“He needs a moment to rest, Hemrock.”
“We don’t have a moment. Get him up and moving.” Hemrock nearly snarls at the other goblin.
“He’s too old, he can’t keep the pace.” Mork replies nervously.
“Then Kill him.”
A group of gasp and a very tearful No follows Hemrock’s demand.
Even Mork is appalled by this callousness.
“Do it now, we can’t afford to stop. Not until we hear back from Lemonck. They could be tracking us.” I didn’t miss how Hemorock’s eyes cut to me when he said ‘they’. I keep a calm face, but inside my heart leaps. He is coming for me. The thought of him looking for me sends a flutter in the pit of my stomach. I know I should be more worried about other things seeing as I’m captured by goblins and heading towards their hidden home, but just the thought of seeing Assassin again sends a flush to my cheeks and a burning in my stomach that makes me tighten my thighs. Seriously Lilly? Keep your horny hormones in check long enough to get out of this situation. “It isn’t like he feels the same way towards you.” My nagging conscious whispers in my head. Although the assassin has been nice to me, and his touch leaves a burning trail on my skin, he has never made a move or let on that he is interested in me. In fact, there have been plenty occasions that he has showed me just the opposite, yet that annoying flutter is still going off in my stomach. Regardless of his feelings towards me, he is coming to rescue me. I now understand why Hemrock has been keeping such a
determined pace, he fears that he can be tracked. And if Assassin can track him, he can rescue us. Now all I have to do is make it easier for him.
“If you don’t do it, I will.” I hear Hemrock saying as I take notice of my surroundings again. Hemrock moves toward the old man and this is my chance to buy us time.
“No!” I say, jumping in front of Hemrock.
“Move, girl.” Hemrock growls at me.
I need to take up as much time as I possibly can. The more time we spend in one place the easier it will be for Assassin, plus I refuse to stand by and watch someone get murdered in cold blood.
“No! Not if you think to kill a helpless old man in front of his grandchild.”
“I won’t tell you again to move.” He pushes pass me, knocking me to the ground as he does. Goblins may be small, but they are strong.
Hemrock takes out his dagger as he nears the old man. The young girl is sobbing hysterically now. I can’t understand how no one is stopping this. I know this world is more savage than my own, and maybe this is as common to them as watching Maryann and Bobby lee get drunk and fight on a Saturday night back home, but I couldn’t stand by and watch it.
“Coward!” I shout.
The forest goes deadly silent. It’s that silence that occurs when you are in a crowded room and all of a sudden you say something bad about so-and-so and the room falls eerily quiet and so-and-so is standing right there. Even the insects know I have just crossed a line with this goblin. All eyes turn to me.
“Lilly,” Miriam whispers towards me. “Be quiet.” She warns.
But I don’t heed her warning. Mama always said my mouth is going to get me in a whole heap of trouble one day.
“What did you just say to me, girl?” Hemrock ask as he turns to look at me.
I push myself up from the ground. I refuse to be on my butt when I say this. I take a deep breath and square my shoulders as I say it again.
“I said…. You are a coward. Maybe you are suffering from some little man complex and you need to take it out on the weak. You think killing and old defenseless man makes you look tough? Well it doesn’t. It makes you look like a little boy trying to be a grown ma…..” I never saw the slap coming. In fact I didn’t even think he would be able to reach my face, but he did and I went down to the ground. Jeez, these goblins are strong. My face feels as if I was hit by a baseball at a minor-league game.
